Torpedo-protector for boats.



C. F. BACON. ToRPl-:Do PROTECTOR TOR BOATS.

` APPLICATION FILED MAY 10. |917. 4

l ,1271,41 5. Y Patented July 2, 1918.

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l suilicient buoyancy to properly carry a sus-A irnosrATns PATENT GFCE# CHARLES. FRANCIS BACON, oF naooKLrnn, MASSACHUSETTS, i

TORPEDO-PROTECTOR FOR BOATS.

Application led May y10, 1917. Serial No. 167,687.

supported in the waterindependent of the` vessel, butare so connected with the yvessel that they are towedI and held in position for protectivepurposes during the rolling or pitching of the vessel. f Y

The underlying principle of the present invention is that ofv a series of yiloats having pended protecting net and to connect the floats either individually or in series with the vessel in a manner that the weight of the net will be at all ltimes carried by the `floats and held in position through thecon- Heretofore it has nections with the vessel. been customary to suspend torpedo n ets from booms projectingfrom the sides of the ves* sel, and to rely on theboomsas a carrying wmeans. It has f also been suggested to employ a float connected witha pivoted arm or boom so that the rolling ofthe vessel can be in a measure compensated for, such' latter means, however, have beenf more or less ineffective requiring mechanical connections which tend toy render the s'amemore or less unsatisfactory in service.

InY the accompanying drawings there'fis"k yshown diagrammatically a structure designed to illustrate somewhat graphically the principles of the invention presently to be described.- It is to be understood in this particular that the details of application and structure have purposely been omitted, as such specific details are more nearly for the artisan to develop and is unnecessary for these specifications.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a ortion of the vessel showing the apu plication of the invention.

a is a diagrammatic pian View;

Specicaton'of Letters Patent.

F. BACON,y

VPatented Jury 2,1915."

, -Figt B is a diagrammatic cross section of one form; and I f y f Fig. 4 is asimilar view to that ofFig.A 3 showing the embodiment of a preferred type or form. t, l .A

The vessel is designated at A, and proj ecting at intervals from'the sideof the vessel area seriesrof ,outriggers or booms B, conveniently hinged at :their rear lnner edge so that when'not in service `they.g ,may be lashed to the sldes of the vessel, as shown in dotted, lines, Fig. 2. These outriggersor booms may be convenientlyV of openworkV formation Iand are projected by preference at right angles to the sides of the .vessel They are hollowand are bracedlagainstl rear-v ward deflection by the diagonalbraces orlink membersy C. They may be extended' the fullV length of the vessel at intervals as shown, but vobviously the number required will be a matterfor the builder to determine and as the necessity maydemand. The outer. f'

ends of theA outriggers B are preferably of metal somewhat truncated in ycross section as at D. Thel length of the outriggers are such as to'carry their outer ends well kbe# yond the side ofthe vessel, and their yhinged connections are of` such a character asteI sustain their weight whenl projected, vial-,lj though in this particular any suitable brace` tothe upper -bulwarks ofthevessel.

strap or cable E may. be employed extend AAs shownV in Fig.v l ,there is ,extended athwart. the' vessel altubular housing F in alinement with the outriggers yB,j and through this housing and the outriggers is extended acableGr,4 the :same-being posi-v tioned for free movement backward and for- .l ward through the housing and the outriggers. H designates a series of fioats C011-,

Vveniently in boat form, and to the bottom of these floats there is suspended a torpedo net I. This net may be of any approved type, either chain or wire.V The floats H are of such a character as to be well able to support the net in its proper suspended position in the water at the side of the vessel and may be increased or diminished in number according to the requirements of service. The cables G are by preference of a length suiiicient to constitute tows, as shown in Fig. 1, and are connectedy to the forward part of the floats H so that ordinarily transverse wave action will be per mitteden the floats without carrying the 110l weight of thefloa-t .or the net to the V.outriggers. Should t-he vessel lurch or. roll the endless calble G will remain substantially stationary, the same passing through the 5 housing or tubular member-.F as-indicated Should one ioat byv Wave action. be elevated the-weight descends to take the slaclr up in appliedwithweights similarft'o that 'ofian elevaetorwei'ght properly carried in-y guides,V

but intliis particularv` any other convenient means may be employed for taking care of it isfund? that tlre'slack or length "of the oablelo'etween the Iout''riggers and the float is' insulicient to' compensate for they eXtreme between the? crest andi the valley ofthe- Wave;

The."ge1ie1alidea of "a buoyed or' floated torpedoJ protecting 'net' soV suspended; that it may" `halve' a support wholly independent .of the vessel land so connected with' the' vessel that the latter' will' tow the net and. floats the vesseli being wholly free'fiom carrying theweight, is believed-to` be new .in Lthis art",

and'wliil'e thereis-depicted in tlie'dr'awings1 a: diagrammatic showing of the arrangementgfit understood. that various' changes andinodii'cations canbe made without departing'ronifthe ygeneral principle of the invention disclosed andi referred to. In this connectibn' it" isevident that' ony vessels nonr `i nservice the tubular housing may versely icross the' same or ina-ny other'jconvement location that the structure may reospita anni warmly he' @basaatr the cable@ :This general principle maybe;

the transverse Wave action `on thezlloats when.

some' instances be pla-ced on the ldecks trans@ Ihre cents each,

Wnlshingteml. 0.

.The protecting apparatus when it is not necessary for use may be taken aboard the vessel, the outriggers lashed to the side and ready for service when the danger zone is approached.-

. Having thus described generally the underlying principle of the invention and a structure capable of performing the same, what' is-claimedas new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is; n v

1. A torpedo protector comprising a series 'of floats, a protect-ing element,V means projocting'outwardly from opposite sides of the vesseL-and a flexiblel connection extending from one` float through the vessel. to the other float on the opposite side of .the vessel. 2. A torpedo protector for vessels, a; protectin-g element, a: series ofV floats for supporting the element;andl a tow line extendinig' from Onelfloat-to the other from opposite sides of the vessel and across the vessel. f 3f. A ltorpedo protector for vessels, the

combination with a. series of floats carrying' al protecting element, of outriggers on opposite sidesvlof the vessel' inl line withA each other, and acable extending from the tl'o'at throughthe outi-iggers across thevessel' to the other loaftand? having' af free movement longitudinally. p .I

4.. A torpedo protector' for vessels-5v a. protecting," net,4 a series of. ilo. ts for' carrying thei net -i11- thek Watevzand'. airrangedf onl oppo-v site sides ot the vesseh. a. cable connecting the Hoat'sf'and extending .across the vessel.. and means for permitting the: floats to rise andiL fall on theI lateral wave action fory tak'- in-O'; u a the slack ot? the calile under suclt conditions: Y

.5; In a. torpedo protector Lfor boalsla protecting;l element,. al-series of oats carrying the' sainea hinged outriggers at the side of the` vessel, cables connected*y with the floats extending through the 'outrlggers and across the vessel tothe:- opposite float, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereuntol aliix my signature. f

CHARLES FRANCISBAGON! Vaddressing. the 4Commisisionel' of Patents. 

